The representation was to begin very early that evening, and all day
the town crier went about through the streets, beating his drum lustily,
and, whenever he had gathered a curious crowd around him, stopping and
announcing the "great attractions--offered for that evening by Herode's
celebrated troupe." Immense placards were posted upon the walls of
the tennis-court and at the entrance of the Armes de France, also
announcing, in huge, bright-coloured capitals, which reflected great
credit on Scapin, who was the calligraphist of the troupe, the new play
of "Lygdamon et Lydias," and the Rodomontades of Captain Fracasse. Long
before the hour designated an eager crowd had assembled in the street in
front of the theatre, and when the doors were opened poured in, like a
torrent that has burst its bounds, and threatened to sweep everything
before them. Order was quickly restored, however, within, and "the
nobility and gentry of Poitiers" soon began to arrive in rapid
succession. Titled dames, in their sedan chairs, carried by liveried
servants, alighted amid much bowing and flourishing of attendant
gallants. Gentlemen from the environs came riding in, followed by
mounted grooms who led away their masters' horses or mules. Grand,
clumsy old carriages, vast and roomy, with much tarnished gildings and
many faded decorations about them, and with coats-of-arms emblazoned on
their panels, rolled slowly up, and out of them, as out of Noah's
ark, issued all sorts of odd-looking pairs, and curious specimens of
provincial grandeur; most of them resplendent in the strange fashions of
a bygone day, yet apparently well satisfied with the elegance of their
appearance.
Pages:
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313